


Back (to the beginning)

by sammyspreadyourwings



Series: Queen Prompts [23]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Arguing, Breaking Up & Making Up, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hot Space Era, Idiots in Love, M/M, Miscommunication, POV Alternating, Roger is a good friend, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 21:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18269840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammyspreadyourwings/pseuds/sammyspreadyourwings
Summary: John telling Brian about Back Chat goes worse than he thought it would, Roger is there to provide perspective.





	Back (to the beginning)

**Author's Note:**

> Another prompt fill. Surprisingly not maylor (lmao).

“Fat chance I have of making a romance? Really, John?”

Roger winces behind his drums. He had warned Deaky that this song wasn’t going to go over well, at least once Brian figured out who the song was about. Freddie hadn’t cared, he thought it was hilarious, but Roger was less enthusiastic about it. Sure, they’ve all written songs about each other, hell half of Brian’s are written about Freddie in some way.

This one might be too far, and he’s not just thinking it because it’s needling at his best friend.

John responds in a voice too low for Roger to pick out.

“Fine!” Brian snaps, “where’s the sheet music for the guitar?”

“Disco doesn’t need a guitar.”

Roger closes his eyes and grimaces. He can’t believe John is still sold on that point. Brian isn’t going to react well. Where the hell is Freddie? He’d be the one to settle the argument. The door slams and Roger cracks open one eye.

John is left in the recording booth and Brian is nowhere in sight.

Well, shit.

Roger meets John’s eyes and with as much dry disdain as he could muster in his hungover state, “well, you’ve gone and cocked that one up. I wasn’t sure if it was murderous rage or sexual tension.”

“There doesn’t need to be guitar on every track.”

“We _are_ a rock band,” Roger twirls a drumstick, “and you could’ve been nicer about it, considering you two do live together and shag regularly.”

John scowls, “if he can’t get off his high horse for one bloody song...”

“Brian’s arrogant, we all are in our own ways,” Roger replies airily.

“Is there a point?”

Roger points the drumstick at John, “but you aren’t the one being told they aren’t needed anymore.”

“I haven’t said that.”

“Might as well have.”

Roger stands and saunters over to the walkway separating the room and the booth, “and also, you aren’t getting rather nasty songs written about you by your partner.”

John scowl falls slightly.

“I’m not saying Brian isn’t a right prick sometimes, or that you don’t get to be frustrated with him,” Roger leans against the door frame, “hell, I’ve sprayed hairspray at him.”

John crosses his arms.

“But he does have the softest heart of all of us. He’s less likely to fight for something if the _entire_ band is against him both professionally and personally.”

He feels some small vindication at John’s fallen face. John looks at the sound mixer and then rubs a hand down his face.

“You’ll tell Freddie where I’m at?”

“Sure.”

* * *

John walks fast against the cool Munich air. He still feels the simmering anger against his spine, but it’s also warring with concern. It won’t change the song, Freddie already put it on the Album unofficially, but he can at least apologize to Brian.

They should have talked about it like he preaches to Roger and Freddie about their relationships. He tucks his hands in his pockets and hurries to a spot he’s sure Brian would have gone to. A few minutes later he’s wandering over a hill, and spies Brian watching two squirrels fighting over food scraps.

John hovers for a second.

“Come to dig the knife in further?”

Usually, he would make a quip about Brian’s sense of dramatics, but after what Roger told him, that might be the wrong move.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Brian going monosyllabic is never a good sign. It’s how he learned that Brian and his father got into a fight.

“My personal behavior, I’ve been letting studio arguments get in the way of our relationship.”

He frowns when Brian doesn’t look towards him.

“Brian, we need to have this conversation.”

“We should have had it three months ago.”

John tilts his head. He doesn’t recall a specific event from three months ago, so that means he’s just been letting their relationship go. It hurts.

“You’re right.”

“Oh, that’s a first.”

“Brian don’t turn this into an argument.”

“Maybe I should just write a song about it and not put bass in it?”

“Don’t bring our professional life into this.”

“Then don’t bring our personal life into the studio.”

“That was a mistake on my behalf.”

“He admits it!”

“Brian!” John snaps.

People are looking at them now.

Brian backs down, but his lips are pressed together. John sighs, they don’t need the press taking photos of a couple’s argument.

“Do you want us to be over with?”

John’s heart stops and his mouth dries up, “what?”

“Is Back Chat your way of ending it with us? We don’t do anything as a couple for months and then you write that song.”

He swallows once and manages to find the words, “no, Brian. No, I would never – even if I wanted to – I would never break up with you like that.”

Brian watches him. John wonders what he’s thinking about.

“So then?”

“We could go to Bali,” John says.

“Right now?”

John shrugs, “yeah. We haven’t had a vacation in years, and we need it.”

Brian shakes his head, “we’re recording an album.”

“That you hate.”

“We still have jobs.”

“And I still love you, I’ve done a terrible job of it lately, and if you’ll allow me to, I want to make it up to you.”

Brian taps his finger on his bottom lip. John slides closer on the bench. Their knees touch and Brian doesn’t move away, so John lets out another sigh of relief.

“Two weeks.”

John blinks, “what?”

“We leave for two weeks and see where that puts us.”

“In the ground because Roger and Freddie are going to kill us.”

Brian smiles slightly, “if we can fix us, then it’ll be worth it.”

John tilts his head, “this is worth everything, love.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always leave your thoughts and comments below, or come talk to me on tumblr.


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